CKA Storage Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are valid reclaim policies for a PersistentVolume?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the `Retain` policy with backup or archival concepts, or mistakenly think `Snapshot` or `Archive` are valid reclaim policies, when Kubernetes only supports `Retain`, `Delete`, and the deprecated `Recycle`.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Retain
The `Retain` reclaim policy is one of the three valid policies for a PersistentVolume in Kubernetes. When a PersistentVolumeClaim is deleted, a PV with `Retain` policy will not be automatically reclaimed; instead, the volume remains in a `Released` state, preserving its data for manual administrator intervention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Snapshot
Why it's wrong here
A Snapshot is not a reclaim policy: Kubernetes defines a PV's post-PVC-deletion behavior through .spec.persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy, and 'Snapshot' is not an accepted value for that field. VolumeSnapshot is a separate API resource that captures a point-in-time copy of a persistent volume, independent of the PV's lifecycle after PVC deletion. A reclaim policy governs what happens to the underlying volume, while a snapshot is an optional backup/restore mechanism that can be used alongside any policy.
- ✗
Reuse
Why it's wrong here
'Reuse' is not a recognized Kubernetes reclaim policy. The API server only accepts valid values such as Retain or Delete (and historically Recycle, now deprecated) for .spec.persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy; any other string is rejected. A PV can be reused manually after a Retain-released volume has been cleaned and its claimRef has been removed, but that manual workflow is not itself a valid reclaim policy value.
- ✓
Retain
Why this is correct
Retain is correct because it instructs Kubernetes to keep the PersistentVolume and its underlying data after the PVC is deleted. The PV remains in the Released phase and is not automatically available for a new PVC, which protects the data from accidental deletion. An administrator must manually clean up the volume, remove or update the claimRef, and then decide whether to reuse or destroy it.
- ✓
Delete
Why this is correct
Delete is the other valid reclaim policy, causing the PersistentVolume object and the corresponding storage asset in the external storage system to be removed when the PVC is deleted. This policy is commonly used with dynamically provisioned volumes, since storage classes can specify delete as the default reclaim policy to automatically clean up cloud disks. It is intended for volumes whose data does not need to survive PVC deletion, which prevents orphaned storage and unnecessary costs.
- ✗
Archive
Why it's wrong here
Archive is not a valid reclaim policy; the Kubernetes API does not include an 'Archive' value for .spec.persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy. Archiving is an external storage operation, such as moving data to a cheaper storage tier or creating a long-term backup, not a rule that automatically determines PV disposal after a PVC is removed. Treating Archive as a reclaim policy would cause incorrect expectations about automatic data retention and volume cleanup.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Kubernetes Architecture Overview
Key term
Persistent Volumes
A Persistent Volume is a piece of storage in a Kubernetes cluster that has been provisioned by an administrator and exists independently of any single pod that uses it.
Key term
Volumes
In Kubernetes, a volume is a storage resource that outlives the pod it belongs to, enabling data to persist across container restarts and be shared between containers in the same pod.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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